South Australia - The Festival State

Ask a lot of people about South Australia and they can tell you that the Adelaide Oval is the most beautiful cricket ground in the world, that the wines are first class and that there is nothing in Adelaide other than churches and parallel roads. Pretty harsh, huh?

It is probably true that Adelaide is one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world, and the wines are certainly top notch, the founders of Adelaide had a lot to do with the churches and the city layout. Times are changing, though, and night spots are now greater in number than churches and as Adelaide's suburbs sprawl, the roads wander more.

The city, with is gardens and parklands and well organised systems is nestled up against Mt. Lofty ranges and nearby is the Gulf St. Vincent, and in times past was a pretty straight laced place, calm, relaxed and dignified. Today its probably one of the more liveable cities for a student, and for some one looking to keep their head in the books and still enjoy the sights and lifestyle of Australia with out the built up pressure of Sydney or Melbourne, Adelaide and South Australia might be just for you.

Feel the desert heat!
Don’t go to Adelaide looking for cool weather – the proximity to the desert and the direction of the wind often means that temperatures are up around 40 during the summer months. Winter does see quite a bit of rain, but less than the other states.

Statistically you should get about 270 days of sunshine a year in Adelaide.

Facts about South Australia
Adelaide, the capital city, is home to just over 1 million people, which is about 73% of the population. The next biggest cities are Whyalla, about 25,000 people, and Mt Gambier with around 21,000 people.

About 20 of the population was either born or has a parent who was born outside of Australia in a non-native English speaking country. Multiculturalism is a big deal in South Australia.

South Australians love sport, and are absolute fanatics when it comes to cricket and Australian Rules football. If you live in Adelaide for any length of time you are sure to get involved in someway in either playing or spectating at a sport competition of some kind.

The Adelaide Festival is held every second year in March, and is a must attend event.

Top 5 attractions in Adelaide
1. Walk around the city, being sure to visit the Botanic Gardens – one of the best in Australia
2. Take a drive down to Kangaroo Island
3. A picnic is Murphy’s Haystacks is always popular
4. Head over to the Barossa Valley for wine tasting
5. Head down to Glenelg for a seaside getaway

How many international students are there in South Australia?
During 2003 there were 7,000 international students in South Australia, quite alot less than the most popular state, Victoria, with 48,000.

Most popular beer
If you’re in South Australia, you’re probably drinking a Coopers, and it’s going to be in either a pint or a schooner.

Major Universities
University of Adelaide, Flinders University, University of South Australia